Breathing support for twins

Press, 22 September 1987, Page 8

Breathing support for twins

NZPA-Reuter Baltimore The West German SiZnte twins separated in an operation two weeks ago were put back on lifesupport systems when their lungs partially collapsed overnight “This morning, both twins were placed on ventilators due to partial collapse of their lungs,” said a spokesman, Phil Klbak, at the Johns Hopkins Medical Centre. “The twins are breathing wen with ventilator support and doctors anticipate that they win remain on the ventilator at least a week." _ Benjamin and Patrick Binder continued to be listed in critical but stable condition. The seven-month-old twins from Ulm, West Germany, had been taken off the ventilators on Friday morning and were breathing on their own for the first time since their separation on September 6.

The twins were born joined at the back of their skulls and sharing a vein draining blood from the brain. The 22-hour surgery required the stopping of their hearts and circulatory systems for an hour-long period that doctors called “a state of suspended animation.” Since that operation, doctors have had the twins back in surgery repeatedly to clean their head wounds in the hope of minimising the risk of infection.